China has officially released footage of the test launch of the YJ-20 hypersonic anti-ship missile. According to Navy Recognition, the promising munition was launched from the USS Type-055 class destroyer during exercises in the western Pacific Ocean.
The publication notes that unlike previous YJ-20 launches, which were presented as experimental as part of development tests, the Chinese television broadcast presented the launch as a routine operation, which underscores the growing confidence of the Chinese Navy in the readiness of this system to deploy aboard its most armed ships.
Launch of the YJ-20 hypersonic anti-ship missile, China
Chinese MoD
Based on the studied video materials, Navy Recognition points to the characteristic biconic aerodynamic shape of the YJ-20, a configuration that provides controlled gliding at sustained hypersonic speeds after initial rocket acceleration. In Chinese publications regarding the first demonstration of the rocket in September 2025, this shape was emphasized as necessary to protect the surface from overheating during high-speed flight.
Although no official data on the characteristics of the missile was disclosed, military analysts in the Asia-Pacific region pointed to a possible flight range in the range of 1,000 to 1,500 km at a cruising speed above Mach 6 (7350 km/h). The flight path presumably provides an almost vertical descent combined with sharp lateral maneuvers, which should limit the time for the enemy to react and disrupt the forecasting models used by anti-aircraft interceptors.
The choice of the Type-055 class destroyer as a launch platform strengthens the position of ships of this type as the most combat-ready in the Chinese fleet. The PLA Navy currently has eight such destroyers, which made up the first batch. Additional buildings are being built at shipyards in Jiangnan and Dalian. In September of this year, it was reported that the tenth Type-055 class destroyer went on sea trials.
Eight Type-055 destroyers are assigned to the Northern and Southern Commands of the PLA Navy. Their main role is to escort aircraft carriers. They operate in a similar way to how the US Navy uses Ticonderoga-class cruisers as air defense command posts for aircraft carrier strike groups.
In addition, the Type-055 destroyers can act as flagship ships of surface combat groups, providing command and control functions.
In China, the Type-055 class destroyers belong to the fourth generation. With a displacement of about 13 thousand tons, their length reaches 183 meters. Equipped with four 28 MW QC-280 gas turbines, these ships can reach speeds of up to 30 knots. The cruising range is 5,000 nautical miles. The crew consists of more than 300 people.
The Type-055 destroyers are armed with HQ-9B anti-aircraft missiles with a range of up to 200 km and advanced HQ-26 anti-aircraft missiles (analogous to the American SM-3), YJ-18A anti-ship missiles (analogous to the Russian Kalibrov). Presumably, the arsenal also includes YU-8A anti-submarine missiles. The destroyer is also equipped with a fully automatic 130-mm H/PJ-38 artillery system, four 30-mm H/PJ-11 anti-aircraft artillery complexes, HQ-10 short-range anti-aircraft missile systems and torpedoes.
